


Mutual Respect

by TrashqueenofAngmar91



Series: The General and the Secretary [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Bonding, Established Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Grievous needs love and respect, Have at it fellow Grievous freaks, Legends Grievous backstory is used, Male-Female Friendship, Other, Reader is a woman, The new canon is trash, You can even view this in a romantic way if you really wanted to, reader is a secretary/aide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-23 04:55:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10712616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashqueenofAngmar91/pseuds/TrashqueenofAngmar91
Summary: Working as General Grievous' personal aide isn't all that bad. You get to take calls, turn away obnoxious Separatist leaders and get a grateful nod in return for all your hard work. And then some.





	Mutual Respect

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and thanks for even clicking on this thing and seeing what it's about! This is the first reader insert I've posted and I've been wanting to experiment in the reader insert genre for a bit now. I typically focus on AU/romance fan fics with OCs written into them but I decided to try something different for the heck of it. I have plans for posting another insert but it's for another fandom entirely. So if you end up liking this one, stick around since I will post the other one eventually. 
> 
> I admit, good reader inserts are a guilty pleasure of mine. Plus, Grievous has so few insert fics... So I decided to rectify it and try my hand at this. He's been my favorite Star Wars character for well over a decade and he could use some more love and attention. His character has been dragged through the mud over the past few years (looking at you, Clone Wars) and I believe he's an underrated and very squandered character with a lot of potential and depth. 
> 
> For this insert, it's a bit different. I kept the reader's description very vague so you can project yourself (or an OC!) as easily as possible. Yet you are a female and a human but you could choose another race if you really wanted to. I didn't put any of that "y/n = your name" stuff in there since I think it's kinda distracting at times and it messes with the flow of the story. I left it all up to your imagination and how you want to interpret it. I also envisioned the reader with being in their twenties but again, it's all up to you.
> 
> I fear I might've made Grievous OOC too but I tried to keep him as in character as possible. He can be tricky to write at times. Also, he and the reader have been working together for two years so they're closer to one another.
> 
> But anyway, thanks for understanding and please enjoy the story!

Mutual Respect

"This is an outrage! Why are you always incapable of properly relaying my transmissions and messages to your superior?! He is never there and I must always deal with you!"

You bit back your tongue but on the inside, you were grinning all too widely and smugly. How you wanted to talk back at the rude and impertinent Neimoidian gentleman who you were communicating with… But there was an air of professionalism and civility you had to maintain as well. You wouldn't allow him to pressure you; you learned fairly early you had to have a certain degree of firmness with those seeking to communicate with your immediate superior. There was also the fact that this official outranked you and was actually one of the members of the Separatist Council. There would be consequences and you would undoubtedly be reprimanded for any sort of outburst or ounce of disrespect directed towards him. Your record was spotless and you wanted it to remain that way for as long as possible.

"Viceroy," you said as calmly as you could, "the General is a very busy man as I'm sure you know. He has returned your calls in his own timely manner and I assure you he will do so again."

Nute Gunray was typically used to getting what he wanted but you always proved to be this obnoxious and insurmountable obstacle to him. Normally, he could boss around whomever he pleased but it wasn't the same for you. There were protocols and guidelines you abided by and he knew couldn't get past them either. You were merely following orders after all and if he became too insistent to get through to a specific party, he would be the one at fault. He knew that he had to get through in order to speak to your boss of sorts. A direct link to the Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies wasn't so available at times and he knew only Count Dooku could get through to him with no opposition and filtering. The General also wasn't so fond of Gunray and Gunray reciprocated that bitterness and distaste towards him as well. He was also fully aware you knew how much he and Grievous hated one another.

"Whatever!" Gunray said in an exasperated tone. He threw his arms up in defeat and he crossed them shortly afterwards. His holographic image glared at you and he had a hunch you were enjoying this all too much.

"Sir, I will inform the General you've sought contact with him and he will return your call shortly," you assured. "He is currently engaged with his training exercises so it shouldn't take too long."

"Give it some time, woman," Gunray smiled cruelly. "You may have held your position and job as his secretary and assistant for nearly two years but you will not last too much longer. Frankly, I'm mystified as to why you've lasted for that long."

"Respect goes a long way, Viceroy. Now if you excuse me, I must return to my duties. Have a marvelous day, sir!"

You cut the connection to Gunray and you leaned back into your seat. As soon as his image disappeared, you chuckled to yourself and allowed yourself to smile at last. While you generally disliked angering or disappointing anyone, this was an exception and something you relished almost too heartily. Watching that greedy and spoiled Neimoidian squirm with impatient abandon was too sweet and entertaining.

At first, you were rather scared and unsure of your new job as it was unceremoniously dropped into your lap. But now you were fully confident with your calling and you wouldn't trade it for anything else in the galaxy.

When the Clone Wars erupted a little over two years ago, you thought you were prepared. You came from a military family and despite you being born a woman you followed suite with your father and trained at the military academy in the years before the struggle broke out.

During those years of training and honing your skills, it became apparent you had your pros and your cons. While you were an average soldier and while you could use a blaster, you excelled at paperwork, organizational skills and administrative duties. Admittedly, you were a bit disappointed in yourself with such a boorish strength but another part of you wondered if you were really cut out to be true warrior material as well.

Then the news came that your homeworld, Pristus, allied with the Confederacy of Independent Systems with the outbreak of the conflict. You were still in the academy but you were nearing the end of your curriculum. Eventually, you would be sent away from home and your family off to who knew where and for who knew how long. You knew you had a choice with what you wanted to do with your vocation but this was your decision and you wouldn't walk away from it (your parents were actually quite supportive of you and wanted you to do whatever calling you desired and weren't particularly controlling of your future). In all honesty, you were unsure where this war was going to place you once you graduated and it intimidated you but you urged yourself to have courage and be brave.

One day, out of the blue, your father gave you some rather unbelievable and explosive news. Count Dooku had been on the lookout for an assistant of sorts for one of his underlings, specifically, General Grievous. Your father already had a standing within the Separatist ranks as an officer so he jumped at the opportunity and recommended you to the Count. Apparently, Dooku looked into your profile and even visited your academy unbeknownst to virtually everyone except the superintendent to survey you and your record. The former Jedi then made his final decision from an assortment of other candidates and you were picked as the assistant.

Your first and foremost reaction was one of terror and disbelief. You were horrified by the concept and you easily imagined the cyborg warrior crushing your skull in one of his mighty, clawed hands. His temper had legendary reknown and you had heard your fair share of stories of him killing his subordinates and tearing his own droids to pieces during one of his temper tantrums. Honestly, it felt as if your father had betrayed you and condemned you to death by recommending you to Dooku. This wasn't something you could decline so easily and you didn't dare to refuse for fear of the consequences you and your family might suffer. So you grudgingly accepted your new role.

A few days after you graduated, you set out to settle into your new occupation and meet with your superior. Your father accompanied you for emotional support but you were still rather angry for him getting you into this mess. Although he explained to you he did it to try to get you a good job and keep you away from the frontlines, you still didn't want to hear any explanations.

" _Dad, it doesn't matter… I bet you will get news of my untimely death in a week. I'll give myself two weeks, tops._ "

" _Darling, don't act so pessimistic and miserable about it! I recommended you because you fit the Count's criteria. You excelled in your areas of communications and administration. You are also polite, calm and you aren't inflammatory. Not only that, you are a hard worker and you always try to do your best. Besides…if I could try to keep you away from the frontlines, you bet I'd do it. I only ask you to give this a try and apply yourself. If you are unhappy and uncomfortable for too long, then I will contact the Count and see if I can ask him to transfer you elsewhere._ "

The two of you bickered quietly back and forth with each other until you were escorted onto the General's flagship. You were guided to the control bridge and then you were instructed to wait for the Kaleesh's arrival. You shifted about nervously in place and your stomach was performing somersaults in your abdomen. You thought you were going to be sick and at any moment you expected yourself to faint or succumb to coronary failure.

You only needed to wait for no more than five minutes before those doors swept open and Grievous entered the control bridge. Time seemed like it stopped and everything in the galaxy was in suspended animation.

Kriff, was he huge and frightening.

You heard plenty of accounts and stories regarding him and many of those tales swore up and down that he was some sort of overpowered, experimental battle droid. But when you saw those topaz colored eyes peering at you from behind that mask, you knew that he certainly was no droid. There were the remnants of a man entrapped within that ceramic duraplast and duranium frame. What fool could make that assumption? What fool could brand him as one or mistake him for some common, mindless drone?

Your knees were like water from your nerves and perhaps that's what made it so easy to give him a respectful bow. You did your best to keep your fear in check but you had a hunch it was pretty obvious what was going through your mind.

" _I take it that you are the aide Dooku has insisted I have._ "

" _Yes, General. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir, and I am honored to have been chosen for this. I look forward to serving you._ "

" _We shall see. I do hope that you are qualified for this position and the Count hasn't chosen you blindly or on some random whim. If you are not cut out for this position, you will be promptly removed. Do I make myself perfectly clear? Better yet, if you have any insecurities or doubts as of now, you may as well turn around and go home._ "

But you didn't back down. You suspected this may have been some sort of test and while a part of you wanted to go home and kill your father, you didn't opt for the seemingly easy way out. You were going to give this an honest effort and see what would happen. You could only hope that your head would remain on your shoulders still at the end of the week.

After your first meeting with him on the control bridge, your father was dismissed so you could officially begin your tenure. Despite your hard feelings, you still managed to embrace him and bid him farewell. You both promised to communicate with each other and keep in touch. Then he left and you found yourself wondering if that was the last time you'd ever see him again.

Before you knew it, you were alone with the General. You quickly discovered he wasn't much of a conversationalist and he was rather gruff and brief. You were a bit thankful at first since you hesitated to engage in conversation with him for fear he'd view you as chatty and annoying. He also coughed occasionally from time to time which shocked you and only reinforced the reality that he was no droid. You wanted to comment on it and ask if he was alright but you kept your mouth shut for fear of him lashing out. So your first time alone with him was pretty awkward and even thinking back on it embarrassed you.

You merely asked any appropriate questions regarding your new job and he explained what you would be doing exactly as his aide and secretary. Already, you suspected he was rather busy due to his responsibilities and position but you had no idea of just how occupied he was until that moment. Many officials, both political and martial, requested his audience or feedback for one matter or another. Countless officers and commanders were sending back battle reports to him daily. Those calls needed organized and placed into categories of highest priority or least concern. Your job was a rather behind the scenes one but you didn't care at all.

Grievous also noted that a few officials already had direct access to his personal comm but anyone else would have to be screened through by you. He placed emphasis that when he wasn't to be disturbed or was unreachable currently, you would have to be firm and tell the other party he was unavailable for now. Yet he also warned you that if Count Dooku was to go through you first, you were to grant him immediate access and don't impede him. Your comm was also directly linked to his so you could have quick and easy access to him.

Your quarters were situated a floor below his and your living station was rather spacious and comfortable. You had a lavatory, a split kitchen and living room and a bedroom. It wasn't luxurious or opulent but neither was it a detention block cell. You honestly expected you would have smaller quarters but you weren't going to insist on being downgraded.

Your office of sorts was a desk situated outside of Grievous' quarters and you were the gatekeeper so to speak. To anyone who was bold enough to stride up to the front door, you'd address them and ask them to state their business. Very rarely was anyone granted entrance to his quarters and you always had to get his permission to let that being through the doors.

A lot was explained to you and you did your best to absorb all of that information. Yet you still wouldn't weasel your way out of this and you were officially orientated into your job. You were unsure of your abilities at first but you reminded yourself you couldn't afford to be afraid. You'd have to have some confidence in your abilities if you were to show what you could do and reflect your record at the academy.

The first few days on the job were a bit horrifying to say the least. Grievous watched you carefully and you could've sworn you were going to turn to ashes under that withering stare of his. You knew he was being vigilant and making sure you did your job correctly. You were a bit slow with organizing things at first and managing calls but you honestly hoped he would at least be a little sympathetic as you were brand new at this and were getting the hang of things.

His scrutinizing eyes would shift from the datapads you were loading messages, status reports and battle plans onto and then over to your face, seeing the subtle worry swimming about in your eyes as you silently worked and did your assigned tasks for the day. He'd watch you as you spoke with various commanders and other figures who requested to speak with him. You would put them on hold and ask him as he sat off to the side whether he wanted to speak with them or not. He'd give you a simple "yes" or "no" and you'd relay the answer to the other party. Some respectfully thanked you for your mediation and others were more stubborn and impatient and demanded to speak to him despite you explaining he was away and couldn't be reached as of that moment. You remained resolute and didn't buckle under their demands and some angrily disconnected with you. You did all those things and he remained silent.

He watched you for those days and then after that, he appeared to back off. It seemed to you as if he was satisfied with your performance so far and had monitored you closely at first to make sure you were doing your job as he instructed. You were relieved he finally trusted you and allowed you to work without him looming behind you or sitting beside you.

The days dragged on and you ended up surviving past two weeks unlike what you previously bet. More time passed and as you gained more proficiency with your occupation, you worked quicker, you were sounder in your judgment and it became easier overall. There were times when it felt like you were swamped with tasks and other days where you were idly tapping out a tune with your feet.

Days turned to weeks. Weeks transformed to months. Months became a year. A year was now becoming the second.

All this time passed and you changed as well. You were more confident than you once were of course. You also felt secure and you felt as if nothing could bring you down. You were afraid of Grievous in the beginning but now you found yourself respecting him massively. He won your trust and admiration completely and you felt far more comfortable with him than you were in the beginning. You were less afraid of interacting with him and you learned how to read when he was in one of his foul mindsets or was in a very rare but welcome pleased or neutral mood.

He remained gruff and sometimes difficult to interpret but you could see that he seemed to soften up ever so slightly on you. Whenever you were done with your duties, he dismissed you and whenever you would bid him farewell until the next day, he would nod his head at you. He wasn't one to say "please" or "thank you" but he showed his gratitude in small, wordless ways to you. Those little things always made you smile and just made your day that much better. It assured you that your labors and assistance were welcomed and appreciated.

Instantly, you straightened up in your seat and you snapped yourself out of your recollections and pride once you heard the sounding of clanking feet. This pair of feet was different than that of a typical battle droid and it was an all too familiar sound. While you felt far more relaxed in his midst anymore, you still didn't want to look sloppy and unrefined while you sat behind your desk and were still on your shift.

You raised your head up and you quickly caught sight of Grievous making his way towards your direction. The cape he had on was actually torn in several places. Undoubtedly it had been the work of his MagnaGuards he was training with earlier.

"Good morning, sir," you greeted him with a small, genuine smile.

Grievous nodded at you as he always did and stopped when he made it to your post. His eyes locked onto yours and you fearlessly looked back at him.

"I take it that you found the memo I left for you regarding my absence while you came to work here?" he asked.

"I did," you replied. "Everyone who has called in to speak to you was informed you were in the middle of combat exercises and you'd return their calls soon enough."

"Who wished to speak with me?"

"The most notable one was Viceroy Nute Gunray, sir. He was rather irate that you were unreachable at the moment. I have a feeling he dislikes me."

"Take his disdain of you as a compliment. Wear it as a medal of honor and conquest."

You laughed at his answer and you folded your hands together. Despite the grumpiness and anger that commonly plagued him, he did have a sense of humor.

"I will, sir," you said as your smile expanded a bit. "He didn't particularly state his business but I placed his call in the higher priority roster since he is on the Council. All other notifications, updates and other business have been transferred over to your personal datapad too."

"Very well. I will communicate with him eventually. I may also tell him to stop being so unsavory to my aide or I will grant her permission to turn him away until he learns manners."

"Dooku might have my head for that unfortunately."

"Dooku sees him and the rest of the Separatist Council as necessities. He is not fond of them either but we need them to produce more droids for this war. When the war ends and I am victorious, perhaps Gunray will perish under unfortunate circumstances."

"I have heard nothing, General."

"Very good. I am officially available now if someone seeks to communicate with me."

Without saying another word, he left your side and retreated into his quarters. The doors automatically shut softly behind him and he allowed you to continue with your job in peace.

So far, things were rather slow and not so busy and you took a moment to briefly organize some of your personal files. You took out your private datapad and sifted through the various tabs on it.

You smiled as you looked at the pictures your mother sent you of the family garden. Spring apparently arrived and now all the trees and flowers were starting to bloom beautifully. At times, you had to admit you were rather homesick and longed to go back to Pristus even if it was for a few days. Your job prevented you from doing so and you also somewhat hesitated to ask your superior for some time off. The General was tireless and he barely rested from his duties either so you felt that you too must work as hard as him. You were his assistant and your place was by his side.

You then flipped over to another tab, displaying your financial information and other data regarding your job. Your eyes began to widen hugely as you noticed something about your wage. You reloaded the page, checking to make sure what you were seeing wasn't some illusion or trick of the eye. But as you looked harder and read the information again, you noticed that you received a massive raise.

Now you were dumbly gaping at what you were seeing and you didn't know how to react. Furiously, you tried to think back on what might've prompted you to receive such a handsome increase in your wage. Aside from doing your typical duties, you couldn't recall what might've been the cause of this. You were almost certain there was some sort of mistake.

With your datapad in hand, you exited your seat and walked from behind your desk. You stopped at the foot of the door leading into Grievous' chambers and you knocked on the doors, hoping he would be available to discuss this matter.

"What is it?" he called out.

"General, it's me," you answered. "I was wondering if I could have a moment with you. I promise, it won't take long and I'll get right back to work."

"Come in."

As soon as he spoke those words, the doors opened up, encouraging you to enter. You walked through the doorway and the doors closed behind you.

You looked straight ahead, seeing that he was currently removing his scrapped cloak. He tossed it to the side, deeming it useless now that it had been shredded and tarnished as it was.

"Sir, I think there was a mistake with my wage," you explained. "I briefly checked my finances while I had a free moment and I noticed this…" You walked over to his side and stopped. You pointed it out on the screen. "That's a huge increase. It's two hundred percent greater than my most recent wage and I wasn't promoted or given additional responsibilities other than what you originally entrusted to me."

"There is no mistake," the half-droid said.

"Oh…"

You were stunned into silence and you didn't know how to go from there. There was nothing more you could say or elaborate on as you tried to process what was going on. You had no idea where this came from and you truly believed you didn't deserve such a thing. You had small increases in your wage every few months but this was completely and totally unexpected.

You were shaken from your miniature trance when he addressed you by your first name. This was something he never did and for a moment you wondered what in the sweet Hell was going on.

"You were given that raise because you deserved it," he revealed. "You have served me dutifully and faithfully and I feel fortunate to have a reliable assistant such as you. Your loyalty must be commended and rewarded and I am all too eager to bestow it to you."

"Sir…" You were so speechless and overjoyed that you were about to hug him and set a kiss on his mask but you prevented yourself from doing that. He'd probably take it all back and decapitate you with one of this lightsabers. "Sir, thank you so much! I don't know what to say! I'm overwhelmed and so happy!"

"You can show your gratitude by continuing to serve me and doing an exemplary job as you usually do. At first, I hated the idea of having an aide to assist me. Dooku pressured me to accept the idea and reasoned that an assistant would help give me some relief and improve my own performance. I relented and agreed to it." He scoffed. "When I first laid eyes on you, my expectations were not so high. I thought this was going to be a failure and you would quit. I also suspected you would enrage or insult me which would be fatal to your being. But you surprised me. You did what you were told and you proved me wrong. I was actually pleased Dooku chose you. You've also proved to me you are braver than the typical man."

This couldn't be happening. Your heart was soaring and you believed the day couldn't get any better. He acknowledged your work ethic and dedication and you could've sworn you could feel the pride swelling within you. His praise was something nearly unheard of and you felt so lucky that you were in his favor.

"Sir, to hear those words means so much to me," you said, feeling some elation creeping into your tone. You were sounding increasingly unprofessional but at this point, you had no kriffs to give. "I am all too honored and I almost feel like a child! I have the utmost respect for you so to hear this…" You were at a loss for words. "It's truly phenomenal."

"Then it is mutual respect," he remarked. "I respect you for respecting me. Not many give such a thing to me and it seems elusive. Even my allies and confidants look upon me with disgust and revulsion. They look at me and see me as a droid, nothing more and nothing less. I can tell you don't see me as that. You see me as a man. I don't give praise out very often but when I do, those who receive it unquestionably deserve it. Also, I know your family has come to your workplace to visit you a few times before but I am granting you permission to go back home and relax there."

You were about ready to burst into tears from this sheer joy and these blessings raining down on you all at once. To hear that you were allowed to go back to Pristus was almost too much. For a second, you were convinced that maybe you had fallen asleep at your desk and you were having this dream.

"Thank you!" you rejoiced. "Sir, you've almost been too good to me! I promise I won't stay for too long and shirk off my responsibilities. We are at war and duty calls but I will return. Who will fill in during my absence?"

"Someone who can do that job for a brief period of time and not get themselves killed," he jested. "I will find a substitute."

"May I go home next week? My father is still recovering from his wounds at home and I'd like to visit him before he is sent out again."

"You may. It ought to give me enough time to find your replacement."

You nodded your head and already you felt sympathy and pity for whoever was going to take over for your absence. Whoever they were, you just hoped they'd not make the deadly error of mistaking Grievous for a droid. If they were hotheaded and argumentative, they most likely wouldn't last long at all.

But then something occurred to you.

"What of you, sir?" you pondered. "Your job is a very demanding, busy and dangerous one. Don't you think you should take a small break from your responsibilities?"

Grievous only shook his head and folded his hands behind his back. His posture straightened and he reared up to his full height. His eyes had a fierce, angered gleam to them for a fleeting moment but then they seemed to mellow ever so slightly. For a few seconds, he remained quiet.

"A considerate question on your part," he noted, "but I cannot nor will I stop. This is my life and my chosen path. I will not rest until the Republic and their Jedi forces are all nothing more than smoldering ashes. This is an intensely personal task for me and I will see it through until the bitter end. They can't be forgiven and I will not compromise."

You never bothered to ask him about his past before since you felt it would've been uncalled for and invasive. Yet you've heard rumors and stories about his past life and you had an idea of what his former life was like. From what you've understood, the Jedi rigged his shuttle in an assassination attempt and Count Dooku's allies pulled his battered but still living form out of the sea. Then he was integrated into the body you were so accustomed to seeing. While you wanted to inquire about his life and origins, you decided it would be a matter for another time farther down the road, whenever that would be.

His homeworld, Kalee, also had been oppressed by the Republic even before the failed attempt on his life so Grievous already had a deep seated hatred of that government. You were no supporter of the Republic and you felt some kinship with him in this shared disdain. Pristus had been often forgotten about and a neglected world in the past and while it didn't suffer as harshly as Kalee had, your homeworld quickly integrated itself with the Confederacy in order to leave and combat against the corrupt and obsolete Republic. It was broken, didn't work anymore and a new alternative was needed.

You were a staunch Separatist and you would remain that way. Even if the Republic captured you and offered you any sort of hefty compensation or deal in order to betray your comrades, you wouldn't cooperate. If some Jedi tried to use a mind trick on you, you wouldn't give in to them even then. If you had to rot in some detention cell until the end of the war, so be it.

You especially weren't going to shatter the trust you've established with your superior either. Now that you knew he valued your loyalty, hard work and presence, you could never turn your back on him. You knew you were in his favor and that only strengthened your admiration for him. If he was going to wage war with the Republic until the very last soldier, whether they were a droid or organic life form, you were going to be there every step of the way as well.

"General Grievous, sir," you said, "I will accompany you to the bitter end as well, if you will have it. I may be no stunning soldier but I will follow you and help you in whatever way I can contribute."

"Your loyalty, bravery and dedication already far exceeds those of the countless, mindless droids I command," he commented. "If what you say is true, then I am pleased to have such a willing and ready ally. You will not be forgotten or neglected."


End file.
